Steam-cooker.



s. E. WILLIAMS.

STEAM GOOKER.

1 APPLICATION FILED 31-12116, 1908.

Patented May 11, 1909.

2 5HEETS-SHEET 1.

S. E. WILLIAMS.

STEAM COOKER.

AP LI ATION FILED SEPT. 16, 1908 Patented May 11, 1909.

STEPHENS -E. WILLIAMS, OF LEXiNG'lON, NORTH CAROLINA.

STEAM-COOKER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 11, 1909.

Application filed September 16, 1908. Serial No. 453,288.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STEPHENS E. WIL- LIAMS, a citizenof the United States, residing at Lexington, in the county of Davidson and State of North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam- Cookers, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention pertains to improvements in steamcookers, the construction and advantages of which will be hereinafter set forth, reference being had to the annexed drawings, wherein: a V

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view, taken from the front to the rear of the apparatus, on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2; Fig. 2 a similar View taken from side to side of the apparatus; Fig. 3 a perspective view of the cooker, one of the drawers or compartments being shown as removed; Fig. 4 a perspective view of one of the drawers; and Fig. 5 a similar view of a modified form'of containing receptacle.

The main object of the invention is to pro vide a simple and compact steam-cooker, in which each drawer or compartment is separated from the others, and means are provided whereby the steam is led directly to each compartment, independently of the steam which is carried through the compartments in which thedrawers or receptacles are located.

A further object of the invention is to so construct the drawers or receptacles and the frame of the device that the drawers will make a tight fit with the front face of the body portion, thus precluding the exit of steam from the interior of the cooker.

Referring first to'the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, A denotes the main body of the cooker, which is preferably rectangular in form and provided with a waterchamber B in the lower portion thereof. Extending vertically from the front to the rear of the cooker is a .artition C, the lower end of which is designe to extend down into the water which is placed within the water chamber B. This divides the cooker into two chambers, and each of said chambers is again subdivided by partitions D and E, said latter partitions being alike in form and located one on either side of the central partition. 1 As will be seenupon reference to Fig. 2, each of said secondary partitions comprises a horizontal V ortion which projects inwardly from the si e wall at a point slightly above the center of the main body to a point a short distance from the partition 0, a vertical portion which extends downwardly parallel with saidcentral partition, a second horizontal portion extending inwardly to a point approximately midway between the central partition and the outer side wall of the cooker, and another vertical portion which projects downwardly so that its lower end terminates in the water chamber and when n use extends Into the water placed msald chamber. It will thus be seen that four separate com artments or chambers are formed in the ody of the cooker, each being in communication with the water-chamber through a separate flue or duct so that the steam which is generated in the cooker has free access to each and every chamber and each compartment has a separate and independent supply.-

The front wall of the cooker is rovided with a series of openings which stan in alinement with the respective chambers just re- .ferred to, anda drawer F, shown in detail in Fig. 4, is designed to be passed into each of said openings. The side wall of each drawer, at the forward ends thereof, are cut away, as at F, and the front endor face plate G of the drawer is of a size greater than the opening into which the drawer passes. In other words, the face plate extends beyond the side walls, bottom and the upper edges of the 'sides so as to overlap the margins of the openings formed in the front wall of the cooker. The face plate is rigidly secured to the inturned flanges of the side walls and bottom of the drawer and forms the sole support for the drawer, the face plate fitting against the forward face of the cooker which, as shown at H, in Fig. l, is braced so as to stiffen the same and prevent buckling of the parts under the force exerted by'the weight of the food in the drawer.

Located below the edge of the openings formed in the face of the cooker for the reception of the drawers is a combined seal and supporting member, preferably made of a flanged piece of metal I secured thereto, the l essary.

inner'wall of said flanged member inclining downwardly away from the face of the' cooker and adapted to receive the lower edge of the face plate G. As will be seen upon reference to Figs. 1 and 3, the members 1 are each provided with an outwardly and downwardly inclined section I, which facilitates the positioning of the drawers as they are moved inwardly, the lower edges of the face plates G riding up over said inclined portions f. The weight of the drawer and the food carried thereby will hold the upper edge of the faceplate against the wall of the cooker, and any steam which may tend to pass out between the lower edge of the face plate and the front Wall of the cooker will condense and be tra ped in the space formed between the plate and the face of the cooker. Thus it will be seen that the lower edge of the face plate G is held in a water-seal which, of course, will prevent the steam from passing therethrough. In case there should be excess of pressure in the steam generated, the drawers or receptacles will be lifted slightly by the pressure upon the face plate, thereby moving said face late at its upper edge away from the front 0 the cooker and permitting the'steam to escape. It will, of course, be understood that the relief of the pressure in one chamber will effecta relief in all of the others, by reason of the fact that the steam is generated by a common body of water.

The drawers may be readily removed by merely lifting the handles secured to the plates G, the cut-away portions F permitting the withdrawal of the lower edges of the plates from the water-seal. After the lower edge is released from the water-seal and passed out beyond the member I, the drawer is lowered and pulled outwardly.

The removal of one drawer, it will be noted, not free the steam from the remaining chambers in which the other drawers are located.

It is conceivable that the parts may be made to fit so closely that a \vater seal would not be required, but in any event the members I will be employed in order to sus tain the parts in )roper position.

Instead of emp oying an open-top drawer or receptacle, as shown in Fig. 4, a receptacle closed on all sides and open at the forward or outer end, as illustrated in Fig. 5, may be used. In this instance the drawer need not be withdrawn for the purpose of inspecting the food. It will be necessary only to pull out the closure or cover J when itis desired to look at the contents of the receptacle. The upper wall of the receptacle will be formed w th a depressed portion K, in order that the drawermay be readily withdrawn when neccancer The drawer under this construction may be made shallow, so as to avoid the necessity of forming the depressed portion in the upper part thereof.

Water may be placed in they cooker by merely withdrawing one of the receptacles and pouring the water through the opening formed in the forward face of the ap ){tlil-lUS. Or, if desired, a screw cap L or the like may be employed, through which the water chamber may be filled and emptied.

As noted above, the steam which passes to the various compartments comes directly from the water chamber to said compartments, and no steam passes from one compartment or chamber to another compartment.

It is conceivable, of course, that more than four chambers or compartments may be formed, but as this falls within the skill of the mechanic it is not deemed necessary to illustrate the same.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a steam-cooker, the combination of a hollow body portion provided with a waterspace or chamber in the lower part thereof, said body portion having a series of openings in one face thereof; a series of partitions located within said body portion and dividing the same into a series of independent compartments, one for each of said openings, the lower ends of the partitions ext ending downwardly below the normal watcnlevel of the cooker and terminating in the water-space, whereby steam from one compartment will be precluded from entering another; a drawer for each of said compartments, each of said drawers being provided with a reduced portion at its upper forward side and with a face plate of a size sufficient to extend beyond the limits of the opening through which the drawer is passed; and a water-seal formed upon the outer face of the body portion be low each of the openings therein, said waterseal being adapted to receive the lower edge of a face plate.

2. In a steam-cooker, the combination of a hollow body portion provided with a waterspace in the lower part thereof, said body portion being likewise formed with a series of openings in one face thereof; a series of partitions located within the body portion and dividing the same into a series of independent compartments, one for each of said openings, the lower edges of the partitions projecting downwardly below the normal water-level of the cooker and terminating in the water-space, whereby the steam from one comp artmcnt will be precluded from entering another; a drawer adapted to be passed through each of the openings and into the compartment located in line therewith, each 1 ed to embrace the lower edge of the face plate 10 of the drawers being provided with a reduced of each drawer.

ortion at its forward upper edge, and being In testimony whereof I have signed my formed with a face plate at its outer end of I name to this specification in the presence of 5 dimensions greaterthan the dimensions of two subscribing witnesses.

the opening through which the drawer is STEPHENS E. WILLIAMS. passed; and an upwardly and outwardly pro- Witnesses: ecting sup orting member secured to the HORACE A. DODGE,

forward wa of the body portion and adaptj FANNIE WISE. 

